Certain intravascular devices may be left in a body lumen such as a blood vessel for a period of time. For example, a vena cava filter may be implanted in the vena cava to capture blood clots and other embolic debris and to retain the blood clots and other embolic debris while they are lysed or until removed. It may be desirable to leave this filter in place for a period of time such as two or more weeks after an interventional procedure, and then to remove the filter. These filters are often retained in place by means of elongate members which contact the vessel wall. The vessel wall frequently encapsulates the portion of the elongate members which contact the wall with endothelial growth. Thus, if removal is desired, it becomes necessary to free the elongate members from this endothelial growth.